Construction is the largest industry in many countries. Nearly all construction jobs entail some sort of earthmoving. However, a significant amount of time and money is lost due to the inefficiency of having operators of heavy machines, such as bulldozers, attempt to reshape the surface of a work site having only the initial measurements to go on. The high cost of renting the heavy machines results in an enormous amount being spent due to delays.
Other time losses are encountered in construction during the initial "staking out" of the site. Surveyors must drive stakes into the ground at various locations around the site to indicate to the earthmover operator where and how much to cut from the surface of the site. This process is slow and time-consuming. In addition, the driver of the earthmover must be skilled in working with reference to the stakes.
In nearly all cases, the proposed manner of moving dirt on a construction site is planned out in advance. However, as the earthmoving begins, and the surface of the site begins to change shape, new measurements must be taken and the plan for distribution of the existing site earth must be updated. Using conventional methods, there is simply no way to avoid the delays necessary to make the proper modifications.
One additional problem which arises during construction is the danger involved with operating a backhoe or other piece of heavy equipment near utility lines. Operators have been injured or killed from accidentally striking gas or other utility lines. Without a more reliable method of gauging the location of an earthmover relative to existing utility lines, the occurance of such accidents is likely to continue.